The present invention relates to methods of detaching microorganisms (e.g., bacteria) from, or of inhibiting microbial attachment to, animal or poultry carcasses or seafood or parts thereof, wherein the method involves contacting animal or poultry carcasses or seafood or parts thereof at least once with at least one of the following: (i) a polysulfated polysaccharide, or (ii) carboxymethyl cellulose, or (iii) guanidine or arginine, optionally together with sodium chloride and at least one non-ionic surfactant, or (iv) mixtures thereof, in an amount effective to detach microorganisms (e.g., bacteria) from, or inhibit microbial (e.g., bacterial) attachment to, animal or poultry carcasses or seafood or parts thereof.
Food borne disease in the U.S. is estimated to occur between 6.5 to 33 million cases per year (Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), 1994, Food borne Pathogens: Risks and Consequences, Task Force Report No. 122). Bean et al. (Center for Disease Control (CDC) (1996), Surveillance for Foodborne-Disease Outbreaks-United States, 1988-1992, Center for Disease Control (CDC), Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 45: 1-65) also reported that bacterial pathogens caused 79% of outbreaks and 90% of cases when the etiology was determined in food borne disease outbreaks in the U.S. from 1988-1992. E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks have caused several fatalities, particularly in children. Recently, Mead et al (Food-related illness and death in the United States, Emerg. Infect. Dis., 5: 607-625 (1999)) estimated that in the U.S. there are about 1.3 million cases of illness due to non-typhoidal salmonella (9.7% of total food borne pathogen diseases); 15,600 cases of hospitalization (25% of food borne pathogens); and 553 deaths (30.6% of food borne pathogens); these cases are 9.7%, 25% and 30.6% of the total food borne illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths, respectively. The estimates for E. coli O157:H7 illness, hospitalization and deaths and 62,458, 1,843 and 52 cases; their respective percent of the total food borne illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths are 0.5%, 3% and 2.9%, respectively. Productivity losses and medical costs were estimated to be in the range of $6.5 to $34.5 billion per year (CAST, 1994). Recent recalls of contaminated beef resulted in millions of dollars in losses for the food industry. Therefore, any new approach to reducing or eliminating pathogen contamination in foods would decrease food borne illness and medical costs and provide savings to the food industry and American taxpayers.